Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Paul, Buchanan, Nader

Ron Paul, and Ralph Nader are both in their early 70's, and Pat Buchanan will turn 70 later this year. I don't know if any will feel up to it, but if there is to be a "third-party" (or Independent) run this year that will affect the outcome of the race, it will require the support of all three men, with at least one, most likely Paul, heading the ticket.

This will be more likely if Hillary Clinton gets the Democratic nomination, and McCain gets the Republican. If Obama is the Democratic nominee, the Naderites will most likely get behind him, which will marginalize a third party. Likewise, if Romney or Huckabee manage to get the GOP nomination, the Buchananites may consider either of them "good enough" if they are pragmatic about the war and promise to be good on judicial appointments.

This new party, bringing together the antiwar Left, the anti-imperial Old Right, and libertarians, could focus on three issues:

1. Get out of Iraq.2. Restore the Bill of Rights.3. Get out of NAFTA/CAFTA/WTO.

There may be too many stumbling blocks for the Naderites: Paul/Buchanan opposition to Roe v. Wade and open borders. Compromise deals would have to be made in these and other areas. But, like Justin Raimondo, I believe that "A third party run by Paul could relegate the GOP to the political graveyard, where it would take its place alongside the Whigs, the Know-Nothings, and the Greenback Party. That alone – quite aside from any other benefit to libertarianism and/or the antiwar movement – will have made the whole effort worth it."

But such a run would need support from the antiwar Left to make it viable.